Bargaining In Madrid

The Spanishcapital city, Madrid is a completely developed European city but unlike other European capitals, it is not as expensive. But there are still many chances that visitors who are on budget feel strapped for cash, especially if they plan to visit major tourist sites and want to take advantage of shopping opportunities in Madrid. Planning ahead of time and making a list of items that that you must avoid will help in saving a lot of money.

You must not stay in the city center, especially around the area that surrounds Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor.Both these spots attract tourists like anything and because of this, even local shops have increased their prices considerably. Just five minutes away in the opposite direction will make you experience the difference in prices and will also make you avail the opportunity of negotiating prices in order to find better bargaining.

In your itinerary, make sure that you plan to visit public attractions and museums only during the weekends. During the weekends you will either obtain a free entry or a large discount on the entry tickets. During weekends, the vendors also tend to be in a bargaining mood and offer souvenirs at competitive prices.

The same rule should be applied if you want to attend any sports event. On the weekend, you can simply reach the arena and buy tickets on the door to avail discount on the ticket fees.

Booking in advance whether it is train tickets, some event or a hotel reservation, will always give a room to opt for better prices. It is a common scene in Spain that by claiming lack of options, the tourists are made to spend extra price to obtain something in the last-minute.

You can use various websites like virtual tourist.com in order to plan an itinerary for yourself. In case you like to travel spontaneously, you have a general idea of what kind of holiday would you like to have in Madrid. Make a note of overpriced places that you must avoid.

A good idea for availing bargains is by opting to barter for things. You may check the craigslist listing for Madrid and look for options and individuals who are willing to negotiate for an exchange. For example, a lot of people may offer you a room to sleep in exchange of English lessons for their children. Though bargaining is not common in Madrid like other Spanish cities but you can still ask for better prices and explore a few shop before you actually purchase an item.